To successfully trace ancestors in Canada, you’ll need to learn about the province’s history to find the documents you need. Here’s a look at some key dates in each Canadian province and how to contact the provincial or territorial archives:
| Province | Date Formed | Joined Canadian Confederation | Civil Registration | Provincial/Territorial Archives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 1882 | 1905 | 1889; full compliance 1898 | Provincial Archives of Alberta 8555 Roper Road Edmonton, Alberta T6E 5W1 (780) 427-1056 www.cd.gov.ab.ca/preserving/ provincial_archives |
| British Columbia | 1866 | 1871 | 1872 | British Columbia Archives 655 Belleville St. Victoria, British Columbia V8V 1X4 (250) 387-1952 www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca |
| Manitoba | 1870 | 1870 | 1882 | Provincial Archives of Manitoba 200 Vaughn St. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 1T5 (204) 945-3971 www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives |
| New Brunswick | 1784 | 1867 | 1888; full compliance 1920 | Provincial Archives of New Brunswick Box 6000 Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5H1 (506) 453-2122 www.gnb.ca/archives |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 1832 | 1949 | 1892 | Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador Colonial Building Military Road St. John’s, Newfoundland A1C 2C9 (709) 729-3065 www.gov.nf.ca/panl |
| Northwest Territories | 1870 | 1870 | 1925 | Archives of the Northwest Territories c/o Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre Yellowknife, Northwest Territories X1A 2L9 (403) 873-7698 pwnhc.learnnet.nt.ca/ programs/archive.htm |
| Nova Scotia | 1604, as Acadia; “New Scotland” established 1621 | 1867 | 1864; only marriages recorded 1877-1908 | Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management (Public Archives of Nova Scotia) 6016 University Ave. Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 1W4 (902) 424-6060 www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm |
| Ontario | 1791, as Upper Canada | 1867 | 1869; full compliance 1930 | Archives of Ontario 77 Grenville St., Unit 300 Toronto, Ontario 1B3 (416) 327-1600 www.archives.gov.on.ca |
| Prince Edward Island | 1769 | 1873 | 1906 | Public Archives and Records Office Box 100 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 7M4 (902) 368-4290 www2.gov.pe.ca/educ/archives/ archives_index.asp |
| Quebec | 1608 | 1867 | 1926 | Archives nationals du Québec 1012, avenue du Seminaire CP 10450 Sainte-Foy, Québec G1V 4N1 (418) 643-8904 www.anq.gouv.qc.ca |
| Saskatchewan | 1882 | 1905 | 1878; full compliance 1920 | Saskatchewan Archives Board Murray Building University of Saskatchewan 3 Campus Drive Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A4 (306) 933-5832 www.saskarchives.com Saskatchewan Archives Board |
| Yukon Territory | 1895 | 1898 | 1896; full compliance 1925 | Yukon Archives Box 2703 Whitehorse, Yukon Territory Y1A 2C6 (403) 667-5321 www.gov.yk.ca/depts/education/ libarch/yukarch.html |
